Last weekend, the upper echelons of Apple's "Top Podcasts" charts in the Podcasts app and iTunes were overrun with obscure titles that seemingly didn't belong, prompting some industry watchers to assume the vital distribution platform was being manipulated.

If it hasn't happened to you already, then some day you're going to lose an iOS app that's been taken off the app store, and Apple's choices along the way may stop you from getting it back. Maybe we'll someday have to learn to live with it but for now, AppleInsider shows what you can do.

Rumors that Apple was seeking to acquire UK firm Shazam Entertainment Ltd. first floated back in December. Following an EU approval process, Apple officially announced it had finalized the purchase on Monday, ostensibly to "provide users even more great ways to discover, experience and enjoy music." That appears to be a major understatement.

Apple over the weekend responded to a viral tweet claiming it had removed purchased movies from a user's iTunes account with their consent, allegations that kicked spurred a flood of commentary regarding digital media rights.

Documentary narrated by Chiwetel Ejiofor was screened at Toronto International Film Festival and joins animated movie Wolfwalkers as Apple's first feature-length acquisitions for its forthcoming video slate.

Back in 2010, Apple was riding high on the iPod and iTunes Music Store but it was missing out on social media. Enter Ping, a music-based network that faltered from the start and was dropped two years later. AppleInsider looks at what went wrong -- and also what few aspects went right.

After opening iTunes' donation mechanism earlier this week to help victims of the Kerala floods in India, Apple on Saturday pledged 70,000,000 Indian Rupees (about $1 million) to support Mercy Corps efforts in the region.

Don't keep listening to the same songs, take a deep dive into the service's immense range of music. Then cope with its confusing system and download tracks to listen on the go. AppleInsider turns up the volume.

Apple on Wednesday confirmed a decision to leave conspiracy theorist Alex Jones' Infowars app available for download in the iOS App Store following the removal of his podcast content from other digital platforms including iTunes and Podcasts, saying the app has not violated company guidelines.

Beginning June 30, people using some older versions of iOS, macOS, and the pre-tvOS Apple TV operating system will be unable to change their payment sources for iTunes and the App Store without updating to newer software.